The 2026 Colorful Guizhou Marathon Super League (First Leg) and the Guizhou Zijin Golden Wanfenglin Marathon kicked off on the 15th, attracting 6,000 running enthusiasts from across the country to Xingyi to enjoy the springtime rural scenery amidst the karst peaks.
At dawn, with the sound of the starting gun, runners set off from the Sunshine Valley Tourist Resort, a national 4A-level scenic area, passing through attractions such as the Mushroom Hotel, General Bridge, and Fuzi Field, finally arriving at Fengchaoji, deep within the Wanfenglin forest. The course winds through karst landforms, with peaks and forests complementing the meandering Nahui River, while rapeseed fields along the way make participants feel as if they are immersed in a "landscape scroll."
The performance of local runners was a highlight of the day. Xu Qibo, a young man from Xingyi, won the men's full marathon, setting a new personal best. "I specifically went for winter training for this race, hoping to keep the full marathon championship in my hometown," said Xu Qibo. "I hope more friends will come to my hometown to run, see the beautiful scenery, and taste the delicious food."
"The course is beautiful but also very challenging; the more you run, the more exhilarating it gets," said 40-year-old Wang Zhifa, who has participated in over a hundred full marathons and has been running for more than ten years. He believes running is both stress-relieving and good exercise, and plans to run more than ten races this year.
The Wanfenglin Marathon includes full and half marathon events. This year, 11 ethnic cultural performance spots were set up along the route, featuring ethnic costume shows, traditional folk songs, and orchestral performances. Along the course, villagers in ethnic costumes cheered on the runners.
During the race, all participants can enjoy free admission to state-owned A-level scenic spots in Xingyi City by showing their bib numbers. This policy attracted many runners to immerse themselves in the local scenery in addition to the race. Wanfenglin is the largest and most typical karst peak forest in China, a veritable museum of cone-shaped karst formations, and is hailed as a "world wonder." Many runners arrived early, combining the race with travel. Yang Hu from Guangxi and his wife arrived in Xingyi two days early; this was his third time participating in the Wanfenglin Marathon.
In the Wanfenglin Scenic Area, almost no one can resist a bowl of the local specialty, egg fried rice. Reporters observed that many participants, after resting after crossing the finish line, made their first stop to savor this dish. This seemingly simple egg fried rice has become the most anticipated "replenishment" for many runners after the race. One vendor selling egg fried rice said business has been particularly brisk these past two days.
In recent years, the Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture has used sporting events as a link to promote the deep integration of sports and cultural tourism. By 2025, the prefecture will host more than 280 outdoor sports events of various levels and types, ranging from marathons and car rallies to rock climbing and paddleboarding. These events connect scenic spots such as Wanfenglin and Malinghe Canyon, making "traveling with sports events" a popular choice for more and more tourists. (End)
